


I'll Drink to That

by heyjupiter



Category: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Post-Movie(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 03:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5318162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heyjupiter/pseuds/heyjupiter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Last week, Logan had told him that in the future, the two of them were friends, but it was hard for Hank to see how they'd get to that point if Logan never talked. Of course, Logan had punched him in the face immediately after that, so perhaps Logan had a different definition of "friend" than Hank did.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Drink to That

**Author's Note:**

  * For [keire_ke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/keire_ke/gifts).



> Thanks to likeadeuce for beta reading!

"Is there anything to drink around here?" Logan asked, without preamble.

Hank looked up from his book and thought for a moment. The mansion had had a pretty sizable wine cellar and liquor cabinet, but he and Charles--mostly Charles--had gone through a lot of it over the last few years. What was left was either undrinkable or too expensive for Hank to think about. "Not really," he said. Logan scowled. Hank said, "We can go into town, if you want. There's a bar not too far from here."

"All right," Logan said. He hovered in the doorway, and Hank realized that Logan meant _now_. Hank glanced at his watch. It was just after 4pm on a Tuesday. But they'd both been through a lot recently, so it seemed like a pretty reasonable time to start drinking. Anyway, by the time they got to Harry's it would be more like 4:30, which definitely rounded up to 5 o'clock. Hank put a bookmark in his book and got up from the couch.

"I'll drive," Hank said. Logan shrugged assent. Last week, Logan had told him that in the future, the two of them were friends, but it was hard for Hank to see how they'd get to that point if Logan never talked. Of course, Logan had punched him in the face immediately after that, so perhaps Logan had a different definition of "friend" than Hank did. Still, maybe it would be good for them to get a drink or two, _in vino veritas_ and all that.

Harry's was quiet, and Hank and Logan got a pitcher of beer and a booth in the corner. Hank poured them both glasses, then raised his and said, "To the future."

Logan let out a single sardonic laugh. In response, he said, "I'm just happy to have the present." Then he drank most of his beer in one long gulp. 

Hank raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his beer. "So, you still don't remember anything from last week?" It had been two days since Raven had returned a confused Logan to the mansion. Hank had rather hoped she would stay, but he understood why she hadn't. Since Logan's return, he'd spent a lot of time meeting privately with Charles

Logan shook his head. "Charles... showed me his memories of me, I guess, so… I saw some of the stuff I did. Some of the stuff I said. Even some memories of him looking at my memories. My future memories? But I still don't actually remember any of it."

"Like when you look at baby pictures and hear stories about them, without actually remembering the stories."

"I guess. Maybe," Logan said, his eyebrows furrowed. He poured himself more beer.

"Well, I guess I haven't really had the chance to say it, but… thank you. Even if you don't remember what you did. Thank you for doing it."

Logan shrugged. "I guess whatever I did, it helped me too. Or it will help. The whole thing is fucking nuts."

"I mean, not just the whole future timeline thing. You helped Charles so much just in the last few days," Hank said. "He really… he really hasn't been himself for the last few years. Now it seems like he's the old Charles again."

"So who is he?" Logan asked.

"What?"

"I mean, apparently he's someone who's going to be important to me, but I don't really know why. So who's the old Charles?"

"Well, he… he believes the best in everyone. He loves mutants, all mutants. He wants to help all of us develop our powers."

"Why?"

"Hmm. I think it's partly because he grew up very privileged and wants to give something back. And I think it's partly because, as a geneticist, he's very interested in mutants, in our unique abilities."

"I've heard that before," Logan said. 

Hank nodded, aware that Raven had saved Logan from what would undoubtedly have been gruesome experimentation at the hands of the US Army. "He isn't interested in our abilities for personal gain, though. He's just… very curious."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes," Hank said firmly.

"What about, you know. You said he hasn't been himself. Who's he been, then?"

"He's been… he's had a lot of self doubt," Hank said. He thought for a moment. He felt that he owed Logan an honest answer, and yet there were some parts of Charles's story that Hank didn't feel were his to reveal. "We created a serum to disable mutant abilities. He developed a… reliance on it."

"So he was, what, addicted to _not_ being a mutant?"

"Something like that. I think there was a chemical dependency component, but mostly… being able to read minds must be something of a double-edged sword. It often benefits him to know what others are thinking. I think it's part of what makes him so empathetic. But it can be too much… there were things he wasn't ready to process, I suppose."

"What kind of things?"

"His injury--his paralysis, for one. His sister, Raven, left. His… some of the other mutants he'd wanted to work with, they left him, too. He felt abandoned."

"But you stayed, huh?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Hank took a long drink. "Partly because our research interests were similar. After we developed the serum and I could hide my appearance, I could have gotten a job at a university, but I don't think I could have learned as much from any other professor. And then, when… well, I suppose at his lowest point, I recognized that he might not have been able to take care of himself. I couldn't have left him to die."

Logan nodded. "Well, then, I guess I should thank you, too."

"I guess we can probably call it even."

"I'll drink to that," Logan said. 

Hank went to pour himself another glass and realized the beer was gone.

"I'll get the next one," Logan said. He took the empty pitcher back to the bar. When he came back, he poured them both fresh glasses and said, "To Charles Xavier."

"To the professor," Hank replied.


End file.
